Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
For the first time in my entire life, I felt cherished and valued. I didn't feel used. I wasn't waiting for the other shoe to drop. I knew he valued me and would do anything in his power to make me happy. I may be a work in progress, but I'm going to try and not hiss and scratch like a cornered animal when the man offers to help me with things.
I'll start by not arguing tonight when he gives me what I've needed for more than a week.
I don't know if that's going to be a fight because he hasn't pressured me all week. He even gets up to leave before it's time to put Larkin to bed. He hasn't once asked if he can come back over after the bar closes or hinted that he'd like to get under my sheets again.
I've gotten handholds and light kisses while Larkin plays with her toys. I've listened to the rumble of his laughter as silly cartoons play on the television rather than sighs of annoyance that he's seen the same episode of Ms. Rachel every day this last week.
He really is a good one.
He walks out onto his porch when I pull up, and I know he's doing it because he knows me well enough to think that I might get cold feet and back right out of his driveway and go home. I need to let him know that I'm in this with him. Although I know it won't change his pursuit of me, I'm done running.
He smiles as I climb out of the car, and that grin grows so much wider when he watches me grab the overnight bag from my passenger seat.
"I know we didn't discuss me staying the night but you practically asked me to move in, so I figured it would be okay."
"We can go pack your entire apartment right now, Claire," he says, pressing his lips to mine when I step up on his front porch. "But first I have a confession to make."
"Is this going to upset me?" I ask playfully.
"It might."
My shoulders drop.
"But come in first," he says, wrapping his arm around my back and guiding me into his house.
It's nice and roomy, so much larger than my little duplex, but it's clear when I step inside that a bachelor lives here. It's a house, but he's yet to make it a home.
"Your confession," I say, turning to face him before I can start redecorating this place in my head.
"I went to Barrett and asked him to start a trust for you." He holds his hand up to prevent me from talking when I open my mouth. "I wanted to lift the burden you had from something that wasn't your fault."
"So the credit card company?"
"That's the thing. He's such an asshole, he decided that he wasn't going to give you my money. He actually went to bat for you. What he told you about the credit card company is true. When you told me earlier in the week that he wiped all of it, I was a little freaked because it's not what I asked him to do. He got back to me not long ago and told me he wasn't lying."
"And the trust?"
"Do you need it? What's mine is yours, baby."
"I don't want your money," I assure him. "But while we're on the topic of money, I quit."
"Quit?" he asks, genuine fear in his eyes.
"The bar. I don't have to work there any longer, and it would be weird dating my boss."
I curl my lip in disgust, but it only makes him smile.
"I accept your resignation," he says, leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine briefly. "Are you mad about the trust?"
"A little annoyed about you getting in my business," I tell him honestly.
"I could lie and tell you I'll never do it again, but I won't. If I see you need help with something, I'm going to fix it for you, Claire. You need to wrap your head around that right now. If it makes you mad, drag me to the bedroom and work that aggression out on my cock.”
“There he is,” I whisper, looking up at him.
“Are you hungry?”
“Are you trying to distract me?”
“I made dinner,” he says, pulling me into his small dining room.
"That's from The Brew and Chew," I say with a chuckle. The man hasn't even pulled it from the generic THANK YOU bags that Ruth uses.
"I grabbed dinner," he clarifies. "Are you hungry?"
"Not for food," I tell him honestly.
In the next breath, he scoops me up like a bride, and I do my best to shove down those thoughts. I promised myself I'd let my feelings for him occur naturally and that seems too much of a rush.
"Bathroom," he says, using the toe of his boot to open a door as he carries me down the hall. "Extra bedroom."